Six years earlier than packing a rental truck with firework mortars and gasoline cannisters earlier than taking pictures himself within the head — an act he referred to as a “wake-up” name to America in a word later discovered by legislation enforcement — Army Grasp Sgt. Matthew Livelsberger informed an ex-girlfriend he was spiraling.
“Generally, I get so hopeless and depressed, it is [expletive] ridiculous,” he texted, at one level describing a close-range firefight by which he killed two males.
“By far the worst of my life,” he wrote in 2018.
The violent dying of Livelsberger, a 37-year-old embellished conflict veteran and Inexperienced Beret, on New Yr’s Day is reviving questions concerning the distinctive dangers that navy personnel, and specifically particular operations forces, face of their jobs and whether or not sufficient is being finished to determine members in disaster.
A broken U.S. authorities identification of Matthew Livelsberger, 37, is held by an investigator in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 2, 2025.
Lvmpd/by way of Reuters
Specialists say the navy has dramatically ramped up entry to psychological well being help lately however that particular operations forces specifically nonetheless stay susceptible, partly out of concern that in the event that they search assist their careers will likely be sidelined.
SOF personnel are extra incessantly uncovered to the sorts of extreme psychological trauma that may set off post-traumatic stress syndrome, in addition to repeated concussive blasts from high-powered weapons that navy officers suspect trigger scarring and different bodily adjustments to the mind.
Acute stress and relationship issues can also play a job in an individual’s deteriorating psychological state. In a 2020 research sponsored by U.S. Particular Operations Command that examined the suicide deaths of 29 particular operations personnel, practically all of them skilled emotional trauma of their first deployments. However different points factored in as properly, the research discovered.
“The downhill trajectory with compounding relationship points, monetary points and authorized points happens over a few years,” the report discovered, noting the “massive variety of variables” sometimes concerned.
Within the case of Livelsberger, the Military will quickly should determine whether or not his practically twenty years of service as a particular forces soldier with 9 abroad deployments contributed to his dying.
Enlisted by the Military in 2006 to coach as a member of its particular forces, Livelsberger grew to become a member of the tenth Particular Forces Group, which conducts counterterrorism and coaching missions all over the world. He deployed 5 occasions to Afghanistan, in addition to had stints in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo.
Livelsberger was awarded 5 Bronze Stars, together with one with a valor machine for braveness beneath hearth. He additionally was awarded an Military Commendation Medal with valor.
His ex-girlfriend Alicia Arritt, who shared her textual content exchanges with Livelsberger with ABC Information, mentioned she remembered the Inexperienced Beret as humorous, beneficiant and type and somebody who cherished kids. He additionally appreciated artwork, basketball and quick vehicles. She mentioned he was not impulsive.
If the Military finds that his suicide was attributable to his service and “within the line of obligation,” Livelsberger’s survivors would obtain elevated advantages.
With an FBI investigation ongoing, the Military has mentioned solely that Livelsberger participated in a holistic remedy program provided to particular operations forces referred to as the “Preservation of the Power and Household” program however that there have been no pink flags. This system, referred to as POTFF, contains “bodily, cognitive, medical and help sources as applicable to every particular person.”
Livelsberger, who was stationed in Germany on the time, did not show any “regarding behaviors” and was granted personnel go away shortly earlier than his dying, a spokesperson mentioned.
“We encourage our Troopers, in the event that they need assistance, psychological well being remedy or want to talk with somebody, to hunt proactive behavioral well being remedy both on base or on-line. Additionally they have the choice of speaking to an Military chaplain,” Brig. Gen. Amanda Azubuike, chief of Military Public Affairs, mentioned in a press release.
Dr. Rachel Yehuda, a professor of psychiatry and the neuroscience of trauma at Mount Sinai’s Icahn Faculty of Medication, mentioned there are danger components that appear to clarify why some individuals are extra susceptible to PTSD than others.
This will embody an individual’s household historical past, publicity to trauma at a younger age and organic components that would make it tougher for an individual to “recalibrate” their nervous system after a traumatic occasion.
Yehuda, who just isn’t concerned in Livelsberger’s case and didn’t wish to converse to his explicit state of affairs, mentioned the trauma confronted normally by service members in fight might be notably difficult as a result of it typically happens abroad when members are distant from shut household and associates who can present help. That help system, she mentioned, might be important to calming the nervous system.
“I feel that we now have to know that trauma is an actual factor. And it will probably actually be detrimental to psychological well being, particularly if you happen to’re not in an setting the place individuals might help you address all of the issues that you simply’re carrying,” she mentioned.
Fran Racioppi, a former tenth Particular Forces Group officer who hosts a podcast on Inexperienced Berets and management, mentioned the profile of a Inexperienced Beret soldier is exclusive as a result of it is somebody able to “excessive levels of compassion” whereas additionally able to going to conflict and sustaining the best requirements in warfighting.
“At any time when we now have an incident when the conduct of a particular operator drastically deviates from the usual profile, we have to perceive the driving reason behind that change and what contributing components could trigger a grievance,” he mentioned.
Racioppi mentioned he thinks the sources are there to help personnel like Livelsberger.
“However step one will at all times be an operator’s self-assessment and willingness to hunt assist for themselves,” he mentioned.
The SOCOM-sponsored research, performed by the American Affiliation of Suicidology, discovered on the time of its evaluate, from 2012 by way of 2015, that many personnel had been reluctant to boost their arms out of concern of getting sidelined, with suicide prevention coaching seen as a “examine within the field.”
Livelsberger’s ex-girlfriend Arritt mentioned he informed her he feared getting assist “as a result of he would not be deployable.”
Sara Wilkinson, a suicide prevention advocate whose Navy SEAL husband died by suicide, mentioned that whereas PTSD might be prevalent within the navy, it isn’t an arbitrary label that can be utilized to clarify everybody’s expertise. Wilkinson’s husband, Chad, was discovered to have suffered a singular sort of mind scarring present in different deceased Navy SEALS.
Service members ought to know their story in life additionally might be certainly one of great resilience, she mentioned.
“The purpose is you served. That comes at a value due to our final 20-plus years” of conflict, she mentioned. “And also you owe it to your self, your family members and your life to be your individual advocate bodily and mentally.”
ABC Information’ Alexandra Myers, Alex Stone, Matt Seyler and Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
In case you are battling ideas of suicide or anxious a few good friend or cherished one, name or textual content the Suicide & Disaster Lifeline at 988 without cost, confidential emotional help 24 hours a day, seven days per week.
